By the Sounding Sea
by SharpDressedMan
Summary: A Naruto x Temari and Tenten x Lee story, narrorated by Yondaime himself. brought forth from the great mind of the 'SharpDressedMan'


On that fatefully torrential night, a battle raged forth. The Kyuubi, a swiftly accurate and virtually omnipotent nine-tailed fox. This beast was completely enraged, full of malice and hate. And with practically limitless amounts of chakra... no man could possess the skill necessary, the strength needed, to cause this ominous beast to surcome to its demise.  
No one that is, except for I. Yondaime, the fourth hokage.

But I had to think on my toes, the demonic creature had already commenced in its destruction, it's terrifying reign of terror on my villiage, my home. I was the sworn guardian of Konoha, and everyone whom called this villiage their domain, all those who live in this Hidden Leaf Villiage, are my family. Though, not all of use shared ties of blood, they were still family.  
When I finally came about my solution, I was briefly hesitant, but there was surely not enough time to stop the beast in its tracks any other way. No matter what the sacrifice, I would give anything to protect my home, anything.

I was forced to turn my own son, my own flesh and blood, my own kin, into a jinchuuriki. There was no other way. Yet, his life would not be sacrificed to the jutsu, on the contrary, the preformer of the jutsu but be willing to give his own life. Give life, in order to seal the nine-tailed beast within the boy. I would have to give my life, as tribute. And that single day, is a day I can never dissever from my memories. That day will forever be engraved in my mind.

The creature was unsure of what I was attempting to achieve so there was not much he could do to prevent me from preforming the technique. The jutsu did not, in and of itself, take all that long. Atleast to me, it was all over in a flash, like a bolt of lightning. And in that moment, I blinked my eyes and awoke in the arms of angels, accending me unto heaven. Yet, dieing on that day, meant that I would be forever disconnected from the life of my boy, my one and only son.

Thankfully, the gracious winged serephs of heaven have allow me to gaze back down to the earth from time to time, and watch my boy grow. It is quite a blessing indeed. I was able to see him when he uttered his first words. The joy that he has, a twinkle only viewable in the eyes of a child. Also, I've seen the more difficult times, the way all the villiagers treat him with such disrespectful intent. The meer sight of it burns in my soul, makes me want to scream out in anger to all those ungrateful people. They deal with him as if he were a nuisence, yet in reality he was the cause that they all lived.. It sickens me. But little does my son know, that this curse, this thing of evil penned up inside of him, will eventually become his greatest ally.

The sky above him, a growing radiant shade of mauve and amber. The sun, descending ever slowly, yet would completely disappear momentarily. Giving way to an ever expanding darkness, gently accented with twinkling constelations tossed into the void of sky above, leaving their impressions on the universe. Naruto's dark grey shadow, was ever expanding into the distance across the unruly dirt road. And the crunch of gravel from his trampling steps on the ground.

Naruto is ,but sixteen. Long golden hair, styled and shapen partially in his face. Tall, with a lean and strong physique. And his eye, they were an almost oceanic shade  
of sapphire.He was headed to meet with his squad, they were due for another mission. He'd been assigned to, yet, a new squad from his former "Team Kakashi". He'd come a long way since then.

New commrades included, Temari, a beautiful, young blonde. Rock Lee, a mushroom-headed taijustsu specialist, one of the best in Konoha (besides his sensei Guy). Last but not least, Tenten, the weapons expert of the hidden leaf villiage.

Naruto liked Temari a great deal. Anyone could tell from the expression on his face, it was painfully obvious...to me atleast. She was a beautiful young maiden, with eyes of enchantment, a cerulean blue, they were mesmorizing. A slender build, and blonde straw-like hair. Her charm and personality enticed him. I could tell young Naruto was in love. Yet, he had neglected to tell her of his emphatuation. Maybe it was his fear of rejection? Possibly the young ninja was too shy? Whatever the reason maybe, he was getting no where.

He arrived, exactly on time, no one was ever going to have to wait on him, and he was sure of it. But, he was not the first to arrive, Temari happened to have arrived early aswell. When he realized it, his eyes filled with a passionate glow. "Hey Temari," he said, "what's up?" "Yo, Naruto," she replied, " just waiting for everyone else to arrive. you?" she added. Gently scratching the back of his blonde mass of hair, "Eh... not much" he gave a caring smile, "So how was your day, thus far?" He asked trying to sound as intellectual as he could, more than he was atleast. The girl was amused at the formality and intellectual tone in his voice. It was as if he were in a french waiter in a fancy resturaunt. She gave a short joyful chuckle. "It's been alright, just some mild training, kinda boring." she said, still partially laughing. 

Her voice was like an angelic chorus, it was like a sweet melody, music to his ears. And I could see, something swept over him now. A strange emotion. He'd never felt anything like this before. "He..Hey Temari" he asked the girl. "Yes" she responded sweetly. Yes this was his momentm he was going to express to her his love. He'd been desperately longing to tell her for some time now and here and now was his golden oppertunity. "Do you think that.. that maybe this weekend, you'd want to ------" 

Just then Tenten and Lee interupted appearing and, having blundered their way through to the rendezvous point, where the were all supposed to be meeting. "Yo! Temari-chan, Naruto-chan!!!" Tenten had no problem making herself known. She called out merrily and he froze, midsentence. "Damn," he thought to himself, " I can't believe that they had to show up NOW of all possible times..." Naruto let out a deep sigh, "Oh well," he thought. I could see the dissapointment in his face, though he tried to mask it away, with a plastic smile.

Lee appeared immediately beside Tenten, his sculpted arm curled gently around her shoulder, Tenten blushing lightly. But this was buisness, and she needed to keep her train of thought in a focused state. "Not now, Lee" she said, laughing playfully. "Oookay...I guess.." he played back, immulating his spirits being lowered. 

"So whats the mission, Naruto?" Lee questioned, seriousity overcoming his face. "Huh..?" Naruto, as usual not paying attention. "The mission, Naruto." The, now frustrated, mushroom-headed nin repeated. "Oh, right!!!" he exclaimed, embarrased.

"There's been sighting of the Akatsuki raiding the villiages in rural areas, but their attacks are becoming more violent and it is feared that if they are not stopped they will soon reach Konoha. They have massacred countless civilians and burned down many a town. We've been instructed to protect these villiagers and bring down the Akatsuki. This is a very dangerous, S-Ranked Mission." He explained, now out of breath from the lenghty debriefing of his commrades. "Then let's go, guys!" Temari insisted, ready to press forward and bring the Akatsuki members to justice.

Everyone did one last check, to make thoroughly certain that they were prepared. Keeping the Akatsuki at bay be a difficult feat as it was, but capturing them would probably be impossible. They are a band of rouge ninjas, whom all betrayed their villiages by their own greed and in order to obtain power. They are the highest ranked band of scoundrels on the ANBU Black-ops list, making them inconcievably dangerous.

They were off, quickly, rapidly, trudging through the heavily-wooded forest. The air was deathly silent, not a creature was stirring in this barage of trees and greenery that now stood before the team of ninja. The team needed to reach the villiage as soon as possible, less endanger the lives of the helpless villiagers any further. It was called the Villiage by the Sounding Sea. They needed to arrive before night fall smothered the land in a thick blanket of darkness.

"So...Naruto?" The inquizitive blonde asked, "What is it that you were trying to ask me earlier? I was just curious" A wave of red was begining to overcome his face. "Uhh..." he stammered " It was nothing, don't worry about it!" He reassured her with and uneasy smile on his face. She for some reason, did not believe him. And she adimately wished to discover what it was he was about to ask her, before they were interuppted.

Temari was very fond of Naruto, she thought she may even have deeper feelings for him, deeper than most could've realized. She liked the way he was always happy, in an eternally great mood. He had inhuman determination, able to conquer any odds and trudge through any test. Determined to achieve his dream, of being Hokage. She was emphatuated with him. Temari loved his amazing personality, and his charm and good looks weren't too bad either.

It was now she realized that she'd been staring directly at him. He'd now turned his head, gazing at her, they both looked away, embarrased at what they had both unknowingly done. Tenten, knowing the way to this unknown villiage was at the headof the pack, right along side Lee.

She loved Lee, and he loved her. They shared a genuine love that was pure and sweet. They were both very happy.

"I can see it. There it is everyone!!" Temari announced. They had almost made it to the Villiage by the Sounding Sea.

They had arrived abruptly at the villiage gates. The gates with an intricate design on them, a brilliant shade of cerulean embossed the walls baracaded around the villiage. A sheet of black was begining to overtake the sky, turning it a deep violet hue.

An official rushed, hurridly toward them, "Are you the squad of shinobi from The Villiage of Konoha?" he demanded.  
He was a fairly large man, around six foot, rather long silver hair, streaming, flowing off of his head. His grey hair brightly shimmered in the twilight of the moon, the waves crashed ashore at the foot of the jagged cliff above. This villiag happened to be positioned just so, so it overlooked the sea, hence its name. But it was a nearly eighty foot drop, not something you'd want to accidentally fall off of.

"Yes." Naruto responded. "Oh, thank god!" the relieved man awnsered at the news. "We're here to assist in protecting against the Akatsuki." The blonde boy explained reassuringly, setting the man even more at ease. "So...do you have any idea WHY the Akatsuki are attacking? This doesnt sound like something they'd usually engage in." Temari asked hastily

It really didn't seem like a thing they would do. Petty raiding, and theft. It was very out of character for this band of elite rouge shinobi, there had to be something more, something they were missing. This, gave the Akatsuki an advantage.

"No, we've found no definative reason for what they have been doing, all I know is that they have. It's very odd..." The man replied. "By the way, my name is Nandaime." he added "Pleased to have made your aquaintence," Lee offered, putting out a hand.

"So I guess we'll get to work then," Naruto suggested, "Does everyone have their walkie-talkies?" he asked. Communication was very important in a situation like this, they couldnt risk not using them. "Yes," they all announced, almost in unison. "Good, then let's all split up!" he insisted. He hated to do this, one, because he was unsure whom their opponent, or opponents for that matter, would be. Surely the whole group wouldn't attack all together. And, two, he would be seperated from Temari, but this was serious and he had to stay that way aswell.

"Lee, take the north corner, Tenten, east, Temari, south, I'll take the west division." He ordered. And in a flash, they were correctly posistioned, no one would be getting through this wall of highly-trained shinobi. But one man, would attempt to do so.

He was a red-eyed demon, no longer a man, he had sunk to far into the forbidden clutches of evil. A man who may have been the most powerful member, the Akatsuki had ever seen.  
Uchiha, Itachi.

Itachi Uchiha, one of the most sinister and feared names existing in the entirety of the shinobi world. The man who unvieled his remarkable kekkei-genkai, the sharingan, at the juvenile age of eight. The man who became an ANBU squad leader when he was just barely a teenager. Now a top-notch fellon and a member of the Akatsuki, no less. He would not be brought down so easily.

The moonlight cut across his face, his silohouette trailing in the distance. The ominous, demonic seeming of his eyes, peering ever so intently into the tender blackness of the night. Intent to kill, strickened his eyes. Yet, calm and unrash in his mannerisms. He watched as the four young nin took their assigned places. The midnight stage was set.

Temari took her place, the area she was sent to patrol. The illumination if a dim lamp post, her only means by which to see. She held firm to the kunai in her palm. Sweat, now, begining to trickle in her hands. She was genuinly afraid. The Akatsuki were an elite band of criminals. How could she, a novice jonin, fend off any of them? She could more-or-less be a diversion, but definatly did not possess what it takes to stop them.

"My, my..." a voice from the shadows began. "Who's there?!" She demanded, trying to conceal her fear. "The kunoichi, just get more beautiful as time goes on don't they?" he went on. "A pity you've been sent to die by my hand." Temari now scared out of her mind, she had been pushed to her whits end. "Who are you?!" she began screaming. Itachi letting out an evil chuckle. "Naru----" She was out cold, even before she could call for help. He'd knocked her into a state of unconciousness.

He threw the girl over his shoulder and then vanished into the shadows.

Naruto was begining to get worried now, Temari hadn't responded to any of the calls sent out over the communicators. 'Whats wrong' he thought. 'Why isn't she awnsering. Something was amiss. "Temari?" He persisted across the communicators. "Where are you??" Suddendly, a voice lingered through the speaker. "Hello...Naruto-kun." "Itachi Uchiha" Naruto snarled in reply."What have you done with Temari?!" he demanded persistantly. "Oh nothing..." he paused, "yet." Naruto was infuriated, "Dont you lay a hand on her!! You vermin!!!" he roared. "Ouch, Naruto-kun, that hurt. No need for such hurtful words." sarcasm laddened his speech. "Meet me at the cliffs edge, unless you wish to watch her die." his voice, now hard as stone. Itachi was not one to make empty threats, and would not go back on his word. There was no other choice, he took charge. "Tenten, you protect the villiage, Lee and I will take care of this." he ordered. "Lee, let's go!!"

They were off, a full sprint, they couldnt risk losing her. She was precious to him, and nothing, not even the winged angels of heaven above, or the wretched demons in hell, no one would stand in his path. "Naruto, I don't know that we can do this, he is Ita---" Naruto interuppted, "Damn Itachi! I'll rescue her no matter what, because I---" he stopped midsentence, noticably embarrased. "You what?" Lee persisted. "Because...because...I love her." he finally managed to say. "And saving her means more to me than anything else ever could!" he exclaimed. "Then, I guess we've really no alternative. we must save her." he said encouragingly. Naruto was eagerly determined now, It could be seen festering, burning in his eyes. They were ablaze. He could make out a shadowy figure just up ahead. This was it, the final showdown.

They screeched to a halt, their shoes leaving a skid mark in the earth. "Wow, that was fast..." Itachi muttered. "Enough Itachi, no more games!! Where is Temari?!" What did you do with her?!" he bellowed. "But I like games." he said with an evil grin. "Like a lion stalking its prey, the thrill of the hunt." he added. "Where is she?!" he demanded once again. "Where?!" Itachi let out a short sigh, " Shes fine...for the time being." Naruto felt somewhat relieved, but still. "I'm assuming that you want her back? I might be willing to make a trade, you might call it." he explained. "What kind of a trade?" he inquired. "I will return you the girl...for the kyuubi." he said coldly. "My...kyuubi?" he repeated. "That sounds like a raw deal, How about I just kill you, here and now?!" he roared. He sprung into action. "Tajuu-kage bushin no jutsu!!" A mass of dopplegangers suddenly exploded wildly into life. All the clones dived downwards, gaining speed, all with fists drawn.

Itachi moved swiftly, not waisting an ounce of unneccessary strength, and with one swift flick of his wrist, a dozen of the clones went up in a cloud of smoke. Naruto had left his defensive guard down. He was wide open for an unrelenting assault, but it was digressingly to late. He'd delivered a crushing blow into his diaphram, bringing him to his knees. Itachi, being the coward that he is, delivered, yet, another increadible kick in the face. "Naruto-kun!!" Lee yelled out in horror. He jumped in with a high flying round kick, but Itachi was not illprepared.

Catching his long, firm leg abruptly in the air, he began to crush the young boys leg in his grip. "Ahh! " The nin cried out in pain. He delivered one more swift blow, leaving him unconcious, battered and broken, roughly on the ground. "He's out of the way for now." Itachi said sternly.

"Now, I'll give you one last chance Naruto-kun, will you save her?" He inquired. "I wonder if she could change your mind..." he added.

Temari had been dangling dangerously over the torrential cliff on a tree branch hanging just over the edge. She'd been gagged and bound from this tree, and now she would see Naruto one last time, before she plumeted towards her ever impending demise. "Naruto!" she cried, having just reawoken. "Don't do it!! Forget about me!! You are a jinchuuriki, a bearer of one of the nine-tailed beasts that once ravaged this land. If he extracts the kyuubi from you... you will die!! Don't worry about me, just go, flee from here!! Run, Naruto, go!!"  
"Yes, yes, Naruto-kun, run and hide like a coward, like the scared little child that you are." Itachi taunted. Naruto, wincing from the pain, began his struggle to stand. "Who... said anything about running away?" he managed to voice. It was difficult for him to speak, much less stand and fight. How would he get himself out of this one? "How do you, a mere child, plan on defeating me? You can't win, admit it, you've lost." He ended. "I will not lose.." he struggled, "Not here, not now, not ever, and certainly not to a narcasistic, bastard like you."

A newfound strength, unlike anything ever felt before, began to consume him. His eyes turned a crimson red, and his hands became more, beast-like. He could feel it, flowing like a mighty river through his viens, his aurora had completely changed, it was darker now, full of rage and intent to kill. More fox like, more like the kyuubi. Naruto let out a yell, as the new red chakra began to fill his body. "H...how could he be.. this powerful?" Itachi watched in awe. Naruto's aurora began to take the shape of a fox, possessing only one tail. 'What is this, this power I feel? This awe-stricking power?' he thought. 'The kyuubi!!' he shouted in his thoughts, 'It's power has arrisen and embezzled it's own chakra within mine.' This was his chance, he could take down Itachi, and bring him down, permenantly.

He leaned into a crouch, and help both hands out to both sides. Chakra began to swirl into a trembling sphere, he gripped onto one in each of his hands. This was his rasengan, yet his performance of the difficult jutsu was different, a whole other isotope of the jutsu entirely. He held not one, but two increadible sphere of energy in each of his hands. He made a dash for Itachi, he'd been caught offguard, he had no way to dodge this unsurpassable technique, he was pinned between Naruto, and the edge of the cliff. "Well done Naruto-kun, I congratulate you," he knew these would be his last words. "But since I am going to perish anyway, theres no reason for me to keep my hold on her." He threw one last kunai, slicing the thin rope that held her above the perilous rocks at the foot of the cliff below. Just then Naruto delivered the final blow, devistating Itachi, desimating all that he was. He went over the edge.

Similtaneouly, Naruto made a dive off the cliff, in atempts to save his love. "I cant let her fall, I just cant." He said to himself. The two of them, neared the waters face, Naruto leaning toward her his arms outstreched. He couldn't bear losing her, would he be able to grab hold of her in time? Finally he managed to grab hold of the ropes that constricted the girl from moving and he pulled her toward him. They were, only feet from the waters surface and he had to act fast, if he didnt do anything, they might both die. Naruto wrapped his arms around her tightly and put his back face to face with the water, now, even when they hit the water, she would remain inscaved, he would take the full impact that gravity and the water had in store for them.

They hit the water with a thundering splash. Temari had managed to free herself from the ropes that held her captive. "Naruto! Naruto! Where are you?!" She yelled, frantically trying to find him. Naruto, just having risen up from the depth of the water, lie floating, lifelessly atop the waters surface. She swam hurridly over to him, she was horrified that the worst might had happened to him. She put her arms under the boy, balancing his weight in the water. Temari, now put an arm around him, her hands gently stroked his face. "Naruto..." she sobbed. "Why? Why did you do it?" she sobbed once more. "Be..because, Temari," the boy managed to choke out. "I love you." 

She leaned down and gently kissed him, her lips meeting his own. He could feel his heart begin to race, his emotions sent soaring. "I love you, too Naruto." she whispered. Both exhausted, and scarcely able to move, just lay there, floating on the water, letting the tender waving carry them back. Back to the shore of the Villiage, by the Sounding Sea. The stars above them sparkled and the moon glowed, as the two of them awaited being swept back onto the earth. 

The End  
- SharpDressedMan 


End file.
